Worms are best for shellcracker while bluegill will also take crickets. Largemouth Bass Spawn Water Temperature and Moon Phase. However, if there is a cold snap at least some of them will get pushed out again. Sorry for the mistakes! With another cold front coming that pattern may be repeated in the next few days. There are plenty of professional guides ready to give you a helping hand, and you can find one that suits your needs here. You must be a registered Camper to fish in Lakes 6 & 7. . A variety of cut baits will work. length. For now Brett is finding active, feeding fish around most any shallow cover on the main lake, and soft plastics and particularly Senkos have been working the best. Strong summer patterns are starting to take off for bass on Santee, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that there is a topwater bite especially in areas where bream are spawning. Gizzard shad and white perch are hard to beat for the bigger fish. Look for the BIRSDS. For shellcracker use worms while bluegill prefer crickets and worms. He has been mainly fishing chicken but shad has also been working. Neither jigs nor minnows are working great but bring both since some days the fish express a clear preference. Santee Cooper Lakes fishing can easily keep you busy catching largemouth bass, crappie, catfish and white perch. Crappie and Bream: Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that both species bit in December around mid-depth brush piles, but in January they will likely moved deeper and the bluegill will eventually get less active. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.27 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.20 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5) and the lakes are clear. You can find plenty of stripers in 30-45 ft this time of year. The catfish bite has dramatically improved on Santee, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that he has caught a pile of fish drifting over all different kinds of structure in 45-55 feet. Get out on the water and hunt the swampy bottoms and backcountry where monster Catfish and Bass love to feed. While the crappie are a bit unpredictable, there has been some outstanding shellcracker fishing in the last two weeks. In another sure sign of spring, while Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) has caught a ton of bluegill on deeper brush he reports that there have been some outstanding catches of shellcracker around grass in less than 6 feet of water. In the lakes he is looking for a ledge or stumps or something else that will provide the fish with a place to hold. Pretty much everything has come on soft plastics this week. The bite over the weekend was a little sporadic for catfish, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that even though one tournament team managed three fish that went for 124 pounds (with a big fish over 50) most teams only managed one or two fish. of Catfish will be stocked. Fish as close to the bottom as possible for the bigger fish as the water temp gets lower. Click here for 30 day free trial! He is still having the best success fishing scattered wood and grass in the 4-6 foot range with soft plastics. Captain Ryan Bostian called in with an announcement. At times minnows and then jigs are both out-fishing the other so try both. You can also anchor, but drifting is often more exciting. And, few lakes in the country can rival the numbers and size that Santee Cooper kicks out. Conditions are still a little tough for bass on Santee, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the main pattern for getting bites is still fishing with soft plastics around trees, stumps and points. Fish will be as shallow as they can be found all year, and they will take both live bait and artificials. Their depth will vary, and the best way to target them is with a double minnow rig fished vertically. They have been catching both bluegill and some big shallcracker with worms, while with crickets you will mainly get bluegill. AHQ INSIDER Santee Cooper (SC) 2023 Week 2 Fishing Report Updated January 13, Hudson wins first Sunday Showdown Series event of the season, AHQ INSIDER Santee Cooper (SC) 2023 Week 1 Fishing Report Updated January 6. Steve also reports that they are picking up pretty good numbers of bluegill in deep water, but the better fish are starting to be caught on shallow brush. Fishing with a jigging spoon is probably the best way to catch them. Compilation of fish catches of frogs, wacky rigs, chatter baits, and swim baits. Continue to look for the birds and bait to locate fish. From 1939 to 1942 the lakes were created in a hydroelectric project by the South Carolina Public Service Authority, commonly known as Santee Cooper.The lakes vary from shallow swamps at the upper end of both lakes (but most famously Lake Marion) to the vastness of Lake Moultrie 14 miles across at its widest point and appearing to be a great, open bowl. While they are not catching a ton of keepers they are getting several each day and the numbers and the action are fantastic. Drift cut shad and herring with Santee Cooper rigs in the deep channels. document.getElementById( "ak_js_32" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Were heading to Santee again tomorrow morning for a 3 day trip. document.getElementById( "ak_js_8" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Replied on October 20, 2021 The shallow bite has been better in the evenings, and that should stay true through the weekend. This is one of the nations favorite freshwater fish, and the lakes have plenty of these bad boys on offer. For now the best pattern is fishing worms or crankbaits around stumps in about 6 feet of water, and while there have been some fish caught on topwater lures that bite is waning. Drop us a line in the comments and let us know how it went. I live this lake and am planning even now a trip to celebrate my turning 60. Most detailed Lake Captain Brett Mitchell agrees with that, and Brett reports that the majority of anglers after a big blue are anchoring in 4-6 feet of water around cypress tree clusters. I was fishing a flat and spotted a brush pile off to the side of my boat. Here are 10 reasons ducks flare from your blind. going on , grasses and pads are your places to concentrate on. Youll want to flip and pitch a Texas Rig, too. santee cooper bass Fishing Reports For up-to-date information, look up the fishing report for the water of your choice. However, that just means youll be itching to go when spawning season kicks in. Today we spent the day tuna fishing. Live herring and shad will work the best. With a professional guide, youll get to the sweet spots with ease, and may even reach some secluded spots that nobody else knows about. If you do fancy going out on foot, your best bet is to hit the canal between the two lakes. Whether on your own or in a group, a charter is usually regarded as the best way to go fishing. Perhaps the most exciting action right now is coming for striped bass, and while you cant count on it there has been a fair amount of schooling activity in the upper lake. Brett is trying to drift over hard bottoms in areas that have a pronounced drop-off. Crappie: Little River Guide Service reports that in January some fish should still be ganged up around mid-depth brush piles and submerged timber in the backs, but others will be suspended in the creek channels. Spinnerbaits, jigs and crankbaits will all work. The first thing you need to consider is that fish retreat to the deeper waters after their spawn, and this is where youll find your Catfish. It seemed that some of the biggest fish came on Lake Marion, but there were also a lot of people who struck out in the upper lake. To launch or where guys go to long line troll? The crappie spawn should be getting close to winding down on Santee Cooper, and for guides who prefer the predictability of brush pile fishing like Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) it couldnt come soon enough! Bring a chair and cooler, along with your best pal, and kick back with a day of fishing. 06.01.21. Where can I get information about when to launch and where to fish the swamps in the upper part of Lake Marion? Again, its best to have a mix of cut baits including gizzard shad, American shad, river herring and blueback herring because fish have been showing different preferences on different days. The reasons arent exactly clear, but Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the bass fishing is tougher than its supposed to be. If you can catch the beginning of a mayfly hatch the fishing can be very good, but in the middle or towards the end it really slows because it does not take the fish long to gorge and fill up. The best action is coming drifting deep water in 30-35 feet where there are depth changes like hills, ledges and humps. Both lakes hold a year-round population of Blue, Flathead, White, and Channel Catfish. 2023 FishingBooker.com. document.getElementById( "ak_js_23" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Replied on November 25, 2020 Learn more about how Santee Cooper can help you lower your energy use and save you money. Swimbaits, Alabama rigs and jerkbaits are all decent choices, or you can really slow down and fish soft plastics like a shakey head or Ned rig. Proving that there are catfish everywhere in Santee, Captain Brett Mitchell reports that his boat has been wearing the fish out drifting in 12-14 feet of water. The next new moon and then the June full moon may have more big bluegill shallow as well as some shellcracker. 2018-19 SANTEE COOPER COUNTRY. The lakes are dingy in places but not muddy and morning surface water temperatures are about 51-54 degrees. Most detailed Lake More Santee Cooper, Lake Marion bass fishing action from last spring. Explore the Congaree National Park, Santee State Park, or any special wildlife areas, and youre in for a treat! Book a trip with Captain Bill and fully enjoy the opportunity of a lifetime. You can explore a number of guides in the area on FishingBooker. They have seen a lot of blues full of well-developed eggs and so the spawn is close. Santee Cooper water levels are at 73.59 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 74.18 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). There was even an off day when heavy winds forced postponement of Day Three, resulting in the rare Championship Monday.. Reports vary but there are some indications that the upper lake is fishing a little better than the lower lake right now. River herring is fishing the best right now. Bedding around bullrush grass, lilly-pads, primrose That's a nice bass. The action for catfish on the Santee Cooper lakes can still be really good, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that right now the fish seem to be unusually particular about what bait they will eat. The lakes are very clear and water temperatures are still in the upper 50s. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 79 degrees. Caught some nice size black crappies to. The Angelina River feeds Rayburn, which sprawls out into a typical Texas lowland impoundment that features timber, bushes, submerged hydrilla, plenty of bank vegetation, and, of course, lots of legendary Texas "drains" or ditches that are renowned for producing giant bass. Provided by Captain Joe Dennis with FatherandSonOutdoors. You wont be able to fish for any of these beauties in the summer months. Im glad to hear you always have success on the lakes, and wish you even more this fishing season! Jerkbaits and Alabama rigs could also work. This year. As the underwater forest makes for a thriving ecosystem, you dont want to miss out on all the fun. Overall the fish should continue to roam the shallows for another three to four weeks as several more waves of fish come up and spawn. March 23, 2021 in Fishing Reports. Bass: Tournament angler Eric Enlow of Union reports that January can be a difficult month to catch bass on Lake Monticello, and fish are in something of a transition period. Our Lakeside Rentals & Campgrounds Discover the places you can stay, eat and fish while in Santee Cooper Country. Catfish: Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that in January drifting deep water is usually still his best bet, and cut herring, shad or white perch will all work. The lakes are as clear as Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) has ever seen them, which may be part of the reason why they can only catch bluegill and crappie around the deeper stuff. The lakes are joined by the 6 mile long Diversion Canal to form a system with 160,000 acres of water and 450 miles of shoreline spanning parts of 5 South Carolina counties Berkeley, Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg and Sumter. New . Conditions Report. Following this, creel limits are counted on a per person basis with the caveat that a total of 40 game fish may be kept in any one day. Striper and hybrids: Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that the January patterns should look fairly similar to those from December, and fish will still be in the same areas up the rivers where the bait is holding typically in 35-45 feet of water. This morning they caught a handful of good ones in the lower lake before they moved to bream fishing. Overall, right now its important to be flexible because fish are moving around a lot. The bluegill bite is still phenomenal, and using crickets you can catch all the fish up to about a pound that you want on the same brush. The co-state record largemouth bass was caught out of Lake Marion (16-2 caught in 1949), until 1993 the world record freshwater striped bass came from Santee Cooper (55 pounds), the state record white crappie came from Lake Moultrie (5-0 caught in 1957), and the state record shellcracker (5-7.5 caught in 1998) came from the Diversion Canal. Morning surface water temperatures are around 53 degrees. About half of the field had over 100 pounds of fish, and so they are biting really well right now. Report this item Report this item - opens in new window or tab. While the fish are shallow they are still not on very flat areas like they will spawn on, and they are more likely to be outside of those areas where there is deeper water nearby. Clear Lake: Ice thickness is 12 to 18 inches. Trolling numbers have not been incredible. We know there is Wahoo around and we will be trying for them tomorrow. During spawn season, you can try exploring the shallow waters around Taylors Landing on Lake Marion, or around Elliotts Landing on the other end of the lake. Or, stay onshore and hit up the Santee-Cooper Country Club for a round of golf, or just take in the wonders of the green forest against the contrast of the azure lake. While at the visitor center launch, if you kayak out and follow the left shore past the cabins youll come into a small cove that is fairly quiet of boat traffic. Shad mainly but we are starting to see the big schools of menhaden. Crappie: Veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that, depending upon water conditions, in January most of the Wateree crappie should be caught tight-lining minnows and jigs along the river channel. Join AHQ Premier for unlimited Free Shipping & access to the AHQ Report. 8 ft to the bank, Sunday I even caught top-water with water temps in low 50s. Had some breakers over the bow. The town of Pinopolis is located on a peninsula on Lake Moultrie. When the fish arent on top they can be caught down-lining for suspended for fish or looking for striper that are stacked up on the bottom. Bass are on the way and fishermen need to head to the shallows in South Carolina's sprawling Santee Cooper reservoirs this month. For many, their dream is to connect with the outdoors and own a place in Rural America where they can hunt, fish, farm, and create memories with their family. Crickets are the best bait for bream and jigs and minnow will the best baits for the crappie. And then getting them to feed can also be a challenge. With a June full moon right around the corner expect some really strong bream fishing for the next week, and Steve reports that he is already starting to see fish making beds. Jigging vertical is the best presentation. Cast plastic swim baits into the schools. He has found that small blueback herring are working better than chicken, although both will get bites. . Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.23 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 75.1 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Striped bass: Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that in January the bite should be even better than in December as fish should get into tighter groups in the cold. The lakes boast a healthy number of Black and White Crappie, and theyre another fish that you can target year-round. The lower lake is still clear even as the upper lake is getting dirty, and morning surface water temperatures are about 47 degrees. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources - Rembert C. Dennis Building recreational fishing regulations. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.08 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 73.96 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Earlier most of the shallow fish were in the ponds but now they are everywhere. Display as a link instead, Bass: Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that in the cold of January fish will be caught very deep on Lake Keowee. The Santee Cooper lake system includes not one, but two lakes, including South Carolinas Inland Sea and the states third-largest lake. Along with the TV partnership, The Given Right has launched a new digital series on Mossy Oak GO, Behind the Season. Whether youre a beginner or a pro, theres always something for you in Lakes Marion and Moultrie. This material may not be posted on another website. Water temperatures have gotten cool enough that fish are really starting to move around again, and as the shad just start to get into the creeks the bass should not be far behind. Learn more. The best fishing has been over brush 8-10 feet down in 14-20 feet of water with a mix of minnows and jigs. Field staff This weekend Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) has several trips for crappie again after some time off, and his best guess is that the fish will be scattered 10-20 feet down over middle depth to deep brush. When trying to locate turkeys, here are some options to consider. With the heat wave and new moon Brett is cautiously optimistic that another big group of fish will come up. While many anglers love flipping a big jig or creature baits around the cypress trees or flooded timber, anglers have tremendous success throwing a squarebill. Natural Resources - Rembert C. Dennis Building recreational fishing regulations like hills, and... A challenge to beat for the birds and bait to locate fish cooler, along with the TV,... Trip to celebrate my turning 60 are dingy in places but not muddy morning! Out again and bass love to feed or something else that will provide the fish express a clear.. 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